An open letter to Councilman Gene Belmares

Councilman Belmares:

I have worked on quality of life issues in Laredo since the early 1980s. In talking with community members throughout the years I have found that our citizens want green spaces as well as beautiful buildings. They want walking and biking paths as well as safe streets that allow for easy traffic flow. They want development that lessens the damaging effects of flash flooding while promoting a clean water supply.

I believe that the Springfield Ave. extension currently proposed for connecting Del Mar Blvd. with International Blvd. will be a net negative development for our community. First, it will destroy green space that should be protected by the Green Space Preservation Ordinance passed on May 3, 2004. Second, it will contain a number of curves that will slow the movement of traffic and -- because of poor visibility -- increase the possibility of serious accidents. Third, the replacement of trees and other vegetation in this stream system by impervious surfaces such as asphalt and concrete will release much more stormwater downstream -- worsening the flash flooding episodes that already occur in the area and sending pollutants into the Río Grande above our Jefferson Street water intake facility.

Councilman Belmares, as a long-time citizen of your district, I ask that you take the lead in convincing the Laredo city government that an alternative alignment for Springfield Ave. should be chosen. Adopting a much straighter configuration is still possible with minimum movement of established structures. Developing this new alignment will require your leadership and that of other city officials in encouraging cooperation of property owners in the area.

The alignment shown as a straight diagonal line in the accompanying aerial photograph would involve the relocation of only a few mobile homes, and the owners of those mobile homes -- Mr. and Mrs. Hugo García -- have publicly stated that they are willing to work with the City of Laredo should this alignment be chosen. At the writing of this letter the rest of the property is undeveloped.

I believe that your work on this project will be greatly appreciated by the majority of your constituents.

Sincerely yours,

Thomas C. Vaughan, Ph.D.

Board President

Río Grande International Study Center